Fantasy Booking: What if WCW was around in the 2000s?

It’s a popular pastime in the wrestling world to pretend WCW is still a thing even though it officially retired in the March of 2001. The last glimpse of WCW’s hope was a mediocre Invasion PPV on WWE and a exhibition match between Gregory Helms and Billy Kidman on an episode of Smackdown. WCW became a footnote in WWE’s takeover, leaving the best competition WWE had to live forever in the archives.

So let’s pretend WCW is still a thing and it had money and prestige in the 2000s. In this alternate earth, Ted Turner was able to get the money needed to keep the company afloat. It ran without Shane or Vince McMahon’s grubby hands. Who would be champion? What angles would they run with? What stupid stuff would be allowed to exist under the creative directing of Vince Russo?

In order to do this what-if correctly, we need to pretend that ROH and Impact never existed to fill in the gaps. I’m sure they would still exist even if WCW stuck around, but it’s a lot more fun to pretend they weren’t around.

Here is the breakdown of WCW in the 2000s era

Championships

World Heavyweight Title:

Does anyone remember that the heavyweight title would switch off between Jeff Jarrett, Sid Vicious, Scott Steiner, and Booker T on an almost weekly basis? Booker T was the last WCW wrestler to receive it, taking it from Steiner on the last episode of Nitro.

Enter 2002. Billy Kidman gets mentored by Hulk Hogan (they had a feud in 2000). Hogan takes Billy under his wing and starts to teach him the ways of Hollywood. Billy Kidman becomes a force to be reckoned with, winning many A-list matches. Finally, he faces Booker T at Souled Out and strips him of the title. The crowd goes nuts.

Later, Billy Kidman will turn on Hulk Hogan and become a heel. Billy becomes a renegade who uses weapons and cheating to get his deal done. Kevin Nash and Scott Hall were pulling the strings behind his heel turn and suddenly we see Kidman as part of a bigger plan. Nash and Hall won’t call themselves NWO Black and Red, but it’s clear that they are getting the band back together. Hogan is desperate to regain his legacy so he takes Buff Bagwell under his wing. At Bash at the Beach, Buff Bagwell beats Kidman to win his very first world title.

Cue to Jeff Jarret and Scott Steiner coming back into the picture. This sets up the 2002 Starrcade PPV where Billy Kidman, Buff Bagwell, Jeff Jarret, and Scott Steiner face off in a 4-way dance. Buff Bagwell retains. The young fans love his heroism and spunk.

In later years Kanyon will hold the title fighting off DDP, Ernest Miller, and Vampiro. In 2003-2004. In 2004 Jarrett will have tasted gold along with  Goldberg gets back into the picture and cleans house. He holds the title for almost a year feuding with Tazz until Samoa Joe gets his first taste of gold in mid-2005. Samoa Joe beats Goldberg in a best of 5 match, forever passing the torch to the Samoan Submission Machine.

Abyss enters the gold chase after a feud with Meng and steals it from Samoa Joe. 2006 sees Kurt Angle come out of his WWE contract to find greener pastures in WCW. He beats Abyss in his first match. Angle forms a stable called The Young Olympians, which has CM Punk, Hugh Morris, and Christopher Daniels. Booker T comes out of his 2002 retirement and wins back the title at Starrcade in 2006. After a serious injury in a House of Pain match, Booker T relinquishes the title.

They hold a 15-man battle royal featuring the Great Khali, James Storm, Jay Lethal, Rhino, Sting, Nash, Abyss, Brodie Lee, Scott Steiner, Kenny King, Samoa Joe, Chuck Palumbo, Jeff Jarrett, John Moxley, and Christian Cage. Sting and Brodie Lee are the only 2 left giving them the Number One1 contendership of the title. Brodie Lee beats Sting. John Moxley beats Brodie Lee for the title leading a successful run in 2007.

Jon Moxley loses the title to Rhino who would later start up a feud with Kenny Omega. Rhino is able to keep the title from The Cleaner’s hands but ultimately loses it in 2008 to Cody Rhodes. Rob Van Dam ditches WWE later that year and wins it at Halloween Havoc. He returns to WWE six months later. The Rhodes Dynasty lasts until 2009 until the great feud between Team Rhodes and Team Flair. Cody loses the title to Kenny Omega (in an insane storyline that reveals Omega is part of the Flair family). 2009 Starrcade ends the decade with Kenny Omega beating Goldberg in a cage match to retain the title.

The US title:

Shane Douglas has the title around his waist after a successful victory over Lance Storm and Chuck Palumbo. Shawn Stasiak will take it from him in 2003, but a young CM Punk will win it for the first time in 2003. Other notable winners include Kenny King, Jay Lethal, Cody Rhodes, and John Moxley. Kevin Steen has the US title for a hot second in 2006. He breaks his leg in a ladder match and has to retire early.

The Cruiserweight title:  

Jason Jett (AKA EZ Money) finally gets the push he needs and takes it from Rey Misterio. AJ Styles, Kid Cash, and Christopher Daniels switch off and on with the title between 2002-2003. NJPW does an invasion angle and SANADA wins the title at an Uncensored. He gets into a feud with Jimmy Yang. Loki comes back with a vengeance and wins the Cruiserweight title 6 times in his career. Jay Lethal wins it twice against Shark Boy. 2006-2007 Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, and Rey Misterio feud it out to see who is the champion, each one holding the title only once. Finally, Erik Young reinstates Team Canada (with the help of Petey Williams) and holds the Cruiserweight title for a year. The era ends with title switching hands between Evan Bourne and Adam Cole.

The Tag-team titles:

Booker T and Stevie Ray get back together and take the titles from America’s Most Wanted (James Storm and Chris Harris). Harlem Heat is a force to be reckoned with until Sting and Luger reunite to steal the titles away from them. Hogan and Macho Man team up for one night only and win the title, but instantly give them up.

A tournament is held and Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley team up to make the Michigan Manhunters in 2005 and defeat the Briscoes. Jerry Lynn and RVD are the hot new tag team in 2006-2007 winning the titles three times. Cody and Dustin Rhodes get into a feud with David and Ric Flair and the title switches hands a few more times. By Starrcade 2009 the titles have been held for three months by Team 4D (Spike, Bubba, Devon, Tommy Dreamer).

Popular Angles

NWO Light and Dark is formed in 2006. Sting, Abyss, Kanyon, and Vampiro form NWO Dark, while Kurt Angle, Christian Cage, Rey Misterio, and DDP form the counter team. Both stables lose steam quickly.

Team Flair versus Team Rhodes has a 6-man tag match putting Ric, Charlotte, and David against Cody, Dustin, and Brandi.

Terry Funk, Mike Awesome, Jerry Lynn, Taz, and Justin Credible start a stable called Forever Hardcore.

Dean Malenko forms the new Horsemen: Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Eddie Edwards, Davey Richards. Their potential is amazing until WWE buys them with a better offer. It was Chris Jericho who brokered the deal.

Randy Savage becomes the President of WCW for a year. It doesn’t go well.

Mick Foley becomes acting commissioner to take the heat off Vince Russo. It bumps the ratings up a smidgen.

Hulk Hogan Retirement match. Hogan vs. Nash. Of course, Hogan would win.

Women in WCW

Charlotte Flair follows her dad into the business. She defeats Major Gunns and Staci Keibler. Torrie Wilson joins Angelina Love and forms The Doll House. ODB becomes the Goldberg of the Women’s division. Disco Inferno identifies as a woman so he can beat Gail Kim. Chyna gets into a feud with ODB, but it really doesn’t pick up steam. Finally, a young Asuka begins to get noticed for her amazing matches late in 2009. The Women’s Cruiserweight Title is formed in 2008 and is won by Sumie Sakai.

Agree? Disagree? It doesn’t matter. WCW is dead, living only in the dreams of us 90s kids.